Alephkeller

I write long stories about big lizards. 《《《Other anthros get some love too.》》》 ((18+ NSFW))

[alephkeller]

Finally, a dedicated post!

Chapter 21 of Risk Compensation, "Mandala", is now complete.

The title references the sacred art form depicting patterns of life and death.

Summary: "Back on Mars, Forty finally comes face to face with a terrible adversary -- one who confronts her on her role in humanity's puzzling predicament."

Big revelations, here. I hope you enjoy.

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Big thanks to @doc-art for the sketches of this chapter!

[alephkeller]

What are the regulations on pheromone usage within the empire? Could someone potentially overdose on it if injected?

Pheromone use is rarely authorized without a ton of scrutiny or approval from a high authority (in Earth's case, it was the Admiralty Board -- who didn't approve it. After emergency measures and the attack on Phoenix, it was Axla -- who expanded their use)

If an injection kills/hurts a male because a daxy troop wants to illicitly inject him, she is liable, and so is her CO.

Quartermasters, commanding officers, etc. therefore have to keep careful track of any pheromone weapons on the field and provide oversight.

The truth is that it's an area of dispute in modern daxy society (as we see in the stories) -- the big compromise is that most of the time, they only use synthetic pheromones which are less powerful and wear off, while still pacifying a target for a time. Huntresses are allowed to carry pheromones with less scrutiny, but they're the exception.

(Thanks @doc-art for this old drawing of Rax and Axla!!!)

[alephkeller]

What exactly is a martial claim, and how does it differ from assignment? Do claimed males need to be broken in or prove they aren't a threat to the empire somehow?

A martial claim is a mate who is taken during a military campaign. This isn't always authorized (that is, snatching people off the battlefield), but it can be authorized by authorities overseeing Induction (like Axla did near the end of the war).

Rape is not permitted by daxy law. Most daxy want to treat a potential mate with more reverance and respect -- even if they are taking you into the Empire.

[alephkeller]

Chapter 20 of Risk Compensation, "Life and Death", is done at around 3k words!

In this part, Rax drops a bombshell of a revelation onto Miles. An urgent message from Shepard soon follows. Meanwhile, Matthias confides in Asyx as he awaits his ultimate fate...

https://archiveofourown.org/works/46265299/chapters/212325181

Drawing by:

https://www.blackestmanamultis.com/

Touched up by:

@doc-art

[alephkeller]

Chapter 21 of Risk Compensation is ALSO live!

Check it out:

https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/212538056

Dedicated post soon :)

[alephkeller]

How do the Daxy deal with mental health/mental illness issues, such as autism, adhd, schizophrenia, depression, etc. Do these factors affect assignment for males?

It would;

You wouldn't be assigned to someone who wasn't understanding of your situation.

Some of those conditions are also outright cured by their technology; the other, more neurodivergent things may be dealt with differently (i.e. where a "cure" may mean accomodation instead)

[alephkeller]

Howdy! Just wanted to say I'm a huge fan of your works! ^w^

Thanks for reading my work! You guys keep me going, sometimes <3

[alephkeller]

Chapter 20 of Risk Compensation, "Life and Death", is done at around 3k words!

In this part, Rax drops a bombshell of a revelation onto Miles. An urgent message from Shepard soon follows. Meanwhile, Matthias confides in Asyx as he awaits his ultimate fate...

https://archiveofourown.org/works/46265299/chapters/212325181

Drawing by:

https://www.blackestmanamultis.com/

Touched up by:

@doc-art

[alephkeller]

As a man who goes both ways, I can't help but wonder. What happens if the Daxy finds a gay or bisexual man?

If a male is gay, will he still be forced to be a female's mate?

Do female Daxys see gay and bisexual men in the same way human men see lesbian and bisexual women?

So the daxy are pretty sexually conservative, but not in the same way modern (or ancient, for that matter) Christianity and the other Abrahamic faiths are. It's pretty unique and alien.

They wouldn't necessarily see it as an inherent defect to be fixed, but males are still too valuable to leave them unassigned. This would be noted during the Assignment process (assuming the male was open with it) to any interested females, without any prejudice -- both parties would know what they are getting into and that the man may not be comfortable with sexual things.

So no, not really to #1, but would they be assigned still? Absolutely. And they would be expected to be a husband and father still, just because that is an inherent duty to them that comes with being male in the same way that females in their society have a duty.

Hopefully that answers your question!

[doc-art]

I hope we get more Daxy art forever. You've made me a convert/traitor, dude lol

love those funy lizards

here's some recents: centered around a highly combative fella and the lizards attemps to rein him in

[alephkeller]

Chapters 16, 17, and 18 of RC -- aka the third book in the Assignment Risk series -- are live! Sorry for those who haven't kept up with me on Ao3 or other platforms! I need to be more dilligent for readers of daxy stuff here on Tumblr -- I'm still getting used to this social media stuff. 18 is the most recent chapter, but I'll put all three here now:

Ch. 16 - "Me and My Woman"

Ch. 17 - "All the King's Men"

Ch. 18 - "Heaven and Hell"

In the latest one (18), a changed Axla and Paxi clash over interrogation tactics and injections as her desperation to save her son pushes the Administrator to a breaking point. Then, Rax comforts Miles after he receives an ominous warning.

Thanks @doc-art for the little sketches for ch. 18 (top) and ch. 17 (bottom)!

Full versions of the comics @doc-art drew are included below, but they have some mild spoilers, so I cropped em to just one panel above to remove the context ;)

[alephkeller]

I found fanart of your story (the Do you come in peace? one) and got curious enough of Lizard People to investigate and WOOOOW!! I'm 9 chapters in the first book and I am LOVING it!! So wish this series was a physical set so I could put them on my book shelf!!

I'm glad you are enjoying it, my friend <3

I do hope to do second drafts once the trilogy is finished and get them all published, but first, I need to finish book 3 (that way I can go back and improve the story, having the end in mind).

Here's hoping!

[alephkeller]

Sorry if this is a dumb question

Do the Daxy give birth to males for whatever species they have as a mate?

Like Daxy daughters and human sons

Yes -- I've thought of making human females and daxy male children (from a daxy F and human M) possible, but just incredibly rare. In the canon stories, though, I haven't confirmed or denied that it's possible.

Great question!

Relevant daxy drawing by @doc-art

[doc-art]

Commish for razeino of a scene from Risk Compensation by @alephkeller !!

[alephkeller]

Humbled that someone else would commission art of my story. Great work and big thanks to razeino!

[doc-art]

doodle from a while back learned that the big lizards LOVE a submissive fella, gets the really riled up

[alephkeller]

I was talking about how the daxy aren't anything like what we think of as stereotypical humans -- too often, I feel that aliens aren't made alien enough (something I tried to fix with the daxy)

@doc-art responded with that reality brought to life in the form of this doodle.

Great work as always, Doc ;)

[doc-art]

daxy doodlin, parenthood theme

as always, they're a species from @alephkeller's setting!

[alephkeller]

Chapters 14 and 15 of my story "Risk Compensation", the last book in the "Assignment Risk" trilogy, are now live!

Ch. 14: Asleep at Heaven's Gate

https://archiveofourown.org/works/46265299/chapters/141015400

Ch. 15: Family Matters

https://archiveofourown.org/works/46265299/chapters/142975072

(Art of Nyx, a central focus of chapter 15, by @doc-art. Thank you, my man!)

[doc-art]

just out of curiosity, are you planning on turning Assignment Risk into a comic? I think your drawings and visuals would improve the already amazing story a lot

There's stuff from it I want to draw, firstly redraws of some sketches early on in the story! After that I wanna draw up parts from other chapters, bits from RA and RC too.

Also I dunno if this has to be said, but it's not my story. I just like it and it's settting a bunch. The author is @alephkeller !!